If you refer to moral or religious statements as cant, you are criticizing them because you think the person making them does not really believe what they are saying.
[disapproval]
...politicians holding forth with their usual hypocritical cant.
Synonyms: hypocrisy, pretence, lip service, humbug More Synonyms of cant
More Synonyms of cant
English Easy Learning GrammarCan and couldBoth these verbs indicate ability in some respect. The use of could is usual in clausesthat contain a reference to past time. Morag can speak French quite ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarModal verbsModal verbs are a particular kind of auxiliary. Look, I can do it! – Oh yes! So you can. Can I use your phone? – Of course you can. Do you think she will ... Read more
can't
(kɑːnt, US kænt)
Can't is the usual spoken form of 'cannot'.
cant in British English1
(kænt)
noun
1.
insincere talk, esp concerning religion or morals; pious platitudes
2.
stock phrases that have become meaningless through repetition
3.
specialized vocabulary of a particular group, such as thieves, journalists, or lawyers; jargon
4.
singsong whining speech, as used by beggars
verb
5. (intransitive)
to speak in or use cant
Derived forms
canter (ˈcanter)
noun
cantingly (ˈcantingly)
adverb
Word origin
C16: probably via Norman French canter to sing, from Latin cantāre; used disparagingly, from the 12th century, of chanting in religious services
cant in British English2
(kænt)
noun
1.
inclination from a vertical or horizontal plane; slope; slant
2.
a sudden movement that tilts or turns something
3.
the angle or tilt thus caused
4.
a corner or outer angle, esp of a building
5.
an oblique or slanting surface, edge, or line
verb(transitive)
6.
to tip, tilt, or overturn, esp with a sudden jerk
7.
to set in an oblique position
8. another word for bevel (sense 1)
adjective
9.
oblique; slanting
10.
having flat surfaces and without curves
Derived forms
cantic (ˈcantic)
adjective
Word origin
C14 (in the sense: edge, corner): perhaps from Latin canthus iron hoop round a wheel, of obscure origin
cant in British English3
(kɑːnt)
adjective
Scottish and Northern England dialect
lusty; merry; hearty
Word origin
C14: related to Low German kant bold, merry
Cant. in British English
abbreviation for
1.
Canterbury
2. Bible
Canticles
can't in British English
(kɑːnt)
contraction of
cannot
Cant in American English
1.
Canticles
2.
Cantonese
can't in American English
(kænt; kɑnt)
cannot
cant in American English1
(kænt)
noun
1.
whining, singsong speech, esp. as used by beggars
2.
the secret slang of beggars, thieves, etc.; argot
3.
the special words and phrases used by those in a certain sect, occupation, etc.; jargon
4.
insincere or almost meaningless talk used merely from convention or habit
5.
religious phraseology used hypocritically; insincere, pious talk
verb intransitive
6.
to use cant; speak in cant
adjective
7.
of, or having the nature of, cant
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈdiaˌlect
Derived forms
canter (ˈcanter)
noun
Word origin
< L cantus: see chant
cant in American English2
(kænt)
noun
1.
a corner or outside angle, as of a building
2.
a sloping or slanting surface; beveled edge
3.
a sudden movement, toss, or pitch that causes tilting, turning, or overturning
4.
the tilt, turn, or slant thus caused
verb transitive
5.
to give a sloping edge to; bevel
6.
to tilt or overturn
7.
to throw off or out by tilting
8.
to throw with a jerk; pitch; toss
verb intransitive
9.
to tilt or turn over
10.
to slant
adjective
11.
with canted sides or corners
12.
slanting
Word origin
ME & OFr cant, corner, edge, angle < LL cantus < L, iron tire of a wheel < Celt, as in Brythonic cant, rim of a wheel, edge < IE base *kantho-, corner, bend
cant in American English3
(kɑnt)
adjective
British, Dialectal
lusty; bold; hearty
Word origin
ME, bold, brave; prob. < or akin to MDu kant
Synonyms of 'cant'
hypocrisy, pretence, lip service, humbug
jargon, slang, vernacular, patter
tilt, angle, slope, incline
slant, angle, slope, tilt
More Synonyms of cant
1 (noun)
Definition
insincere talk concerning religion or morals
Politicians are holding forth with their usual hypocritical cant.
Synonyms
hypocrisy
He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.
pretence
lip service
humbug
She argued that the law on this matter was hypocritical humbug.
insincerity
Too many superlatives lend a note of insincerity.
pretentiousness
sanctimoniousness
pious platitudes
affected piety
sham holiness
2 (noun)
Definition
specialized vocabulary of a particular group, such as thieves or lawyers
He resorted to a lot of pseudo-psychological cant to confuse me.
Synonyms
jargon
full of the jargon and slang of self-improvement courses
slang
He liked to think he kept up with current slang.
vernacular
To use the vernacular of the day, Peter was square.
patter
the famous Glasgow patter
lingo (informal)
I don't speak the lingo.
argot
the argot of the university campus
(verb)
Definition
to tilt or overturn
The helicopter canted inward towards the landing area.